Kingston committee hopes to get answers about firing of community development leader Jennifer Fuentes

KINGSTON, N.Y. -- City lawmakers hope to get an explanation tonight from Mayor Shayne Gallo or a member of his administration about why the director of Kingston's Office for Community Development was fired last week.

Jennifer Fuentes dismissal will be the subject of a Common Council Community Development Committee meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. at City Hall, according to Alderman Matthew Dunn, the committee's chairman.

The Freeman will livestream and tweet the meeting at www.dailyfreeman.com. But Dunn, D-Ward 1, said it's unlikely the public will be let in on the details of firing because committee discussions of personnel matters typically are held in closed-door "executive sessions."

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Dunn said he did not know who would appear for the committee, only that he called Gallo's office and asked that someone be sent.

"I don't know who is coming ... (but) the committee needs to be informed and needs to be made aware (of the direction) of the Office for Community Development in the absence of Jen Fuentes," Dunn said.

Fuentes, a former city alderwoman, was appointed to the community development job by Democrat Gallo last year.

Alderman Robert Senor, a member of the Community Development Committee, agreed lawmakers should be clued in about why Fuentes was fired.

"The council has the right to know what is going on," said Senor, D-Ward 8. "We are here representing the people, and the people have the right to knew what is going on."

Fuentes said last week that was "terminated," but she did not elaborate.

The city's attorney, Andrew Zweben, said last week that the Gallo administration will not discuss the matter publicly because it would be "inappropriate" to do so.

"It is a personnel matter," Zweben said.

Fuentes worked on Gallo's election campaign in 2011 and then was appointed by the mayor to the $55,000-a-year community development job. Fuentes succeeded Michael Murphy in the post, and her salary was funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

ALSO tonight, the Community Development Committee will review public comments about the city's proposed 2013 allotment of federal Entitlement Program money.

The city expects to receive $617,500 that will be earmarked for community groups and various projects.

During a public hearing earlier this month, Gallo objected to some changes made by the committee to his original proposal for the aid disbursement. In particular, the mayor did not favor the panel's endorsement of $15,000 for a playscape at George Washington Elementary School, $15,000 for fences at the YMCA and $35,000 for underground tank removals at the Hudson River Maritime Museum.

On Monday, Gallo said he may reconsider his position on the three projects after tonight's hearing.

The disbursements ultimately must be approved by the full Common Council.